Tuesday, June 29

Olive oil has immense uses for skin care and its health.

The benefits of olive oil for skin can be fully reaped by eating it and also applying it.

Jeanne Calment, a French lady with the longest documented life span of 122 years and 164 days was believed to have attributed her youthful appearance and her longevity to the wonders of the super food olive oil.
Jeanne Calment said that she used to pour virgin olive oil on her food and to rub it into her skin and care for it.
The secret of the beauty of the women of the Mediterranean region is their reliance on this super food as one of the essential food items and their application of olive oil to skin to moisturise it.
The use of this extract enhance the glow of the skin. They applied the extra virgin olive oil on the body to remove stretch marks.
Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and soaps and as a fuel for traditional lamps from time unknown.

The most traditional way of making this is by grinding olive fruits.

Green olive fruits produce bitter product, and overripe fruits produce rancid extract, so care is taken to make sure that the fruits are perfectly ripened.

The use of olive extract in food has tremendous positive effect on the skin care.

This contains a group of related natural products like polyphenols with potent antioxidant properties which reduce the risk of cancer.

Another use of it in food is the improvement of blood circulation due to its vasodilatory properties.

It is believed that consumption of this oil by pregnant women helps in the birth of healthy baby.

It contains high proportions of monounsaturated fats and evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that a higher proportion of monounsaturated fats in the diet is linked with a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease.

Use of extra virgin olive oil for skin care, because of its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, reduces the photo aging (dermatoheliosis) by reducing the oxidative damage by Ultra violet rays in the sunlight.

Olive oil cleansing method (OCM) for skin

This is a method to clean our face using a mix of extra virgin olive oil and Castoroil.

Sometimes coconut oil or sunflower oil are used for blending. Usually equal proportions of Castoroil and olive extract are used.

For greasy skin the proportion of olive extract is reduced. This mix is rubbed gently on to epidermis for two to three minutes.

Then a fairly warm and wet wash towel is dabbed over the face till it cools.

Then a towel is used to wipe off the excess of this mix. Then use one or two drops of olive oil for moisturising the skin.

In this olive extract OCM for skin care, many beneficial effects like reduction in acne and black heads, softening of the epidermis, removal of the dead debris and the improvement in fairness and tone are achieved.

The science behind this olive oil OCM is that by the use of soap, skin sebum gets removed and to compensate the body produces more of it in normal cases.

The excess production of skin sebum leading to greasy epidermis is due to hormones and intake of excess calories in all its forms like fried foods, ice creams, use of excess fat in food preparations etc..

By OCM the natural body lipids remain and with the enhanced effect of olive oil the skin gets nourished and moisturised.

Olive oil is preferred for removing mascara. It makes the skin around the eye healthy and reduces the dark circles.

Homely tips for skin care with olive oil

Olive oil in hair and scalp skin care:

Apply olive extract on the head and massage and rub it into hair and scalp for ten minutes. Olive oil reduces the seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff) and discourages lice.
The massage with it improves the circulation care the scalp and stimulates the hair follicles.
Olive oil massage of scalp reduces hair fall, controls dry hair and split ends and functions as leave-in conditioner giving gloss to hair.

Olive oil for facial skin:

A moisturizing facial mask can be prepared with olive oil, honey, a teaspoon of lemon juice and an egg yolk.
Blend them well and apply the cream to face and leave it for about 15 to 30 minutes.
Then rinse well with fairly warm water.
Dab your face with clean towel and immediately apply two to three drops of it on the face to lock in the moisture.
A paste of lemon juice and olive oil can be applied on facial skin and left overnight and the mild antibiotic properties of both lemon juice and olive oil will gradually clear up the acne.

Olive oil as skin shaving oil:

The use of shaving product is gaining popularity mainly due to lack of potentially harmful chemicals, better gliding properties and excellent moisturising effects.
This can be prepared at home by adding equal quantities of olive extract and castoroil and blending them.
For fragrance one or two drops of an essentialoils can be added.
Because of better gliding properties less cuts and nicks are experienced. Due to moisturising effect of olive oil no burning sensation is experienced.
Instead of being covered by foam you can see the area of the skin where you are shaving.

Olive oil for lips skin:

Lip balm can be prepared by adding equal parts of olive oil and molten bee wax and blending them.
If the consistency is harder a few drops of coconutoil can be added. Application of this balm will care for lips making them smooth and soft.

Application of this balm can help in the healing of the chapped lips and give a soothing feeling.

Avoid licking lips as licking them can remove moisture from the lips and you can end up with chapped lips.
Saliva on the chapped lips can further aggravate the irritation and burning feeling.

For immediate relief from burning sensation apply olive oil on the chapped lips.

Olive oil for nails and skin care:

Nails just like skin can dry out, break, peel and get infected. We have to care for them to keep them healthy.

Brittle nails (Onychorrhexis) is a condition in which nails loose their pliability and become brittle and break off easily.

This may be due to diseases like hypothyroidism and anemia, chemicals in nail polish remover and excessive use of strong soap and detergents.

Blend this and castor oil in equal proportions and warm the mix.

Soak the nails in this olive mix and massage the finger tips and the nails and take care of them.
This will soften and strengthen the nails. After ten minutes rinse and wipe them dry and apply olive extract to lock in the moisture.

Olive oil for skin of hands and feet:

Apply it for skin dryness. Apply and massage on dry areas like elbows, knees, ankles and heels.

Application on these dry areas will moisurise them and remove dark marks gradually.

Dry and cracked feet respond well to it. Apply olive oil and massage the feet before going to bed.
Wear cotton socks so that it does not get wiped out during sleep.

Repeat the same process for dry hands. You can find the effect in two or three days. Your hands and feet will have smooth skin.

Olive oil for skin care after exposure to sun:

Avoid long exposures to sun and care for your health. Long exposure to sun light, apart from removing the moisture, can lead to skin cancer.

If you get exposed to sunlight for long, on reaching shade immediately apply the extract on the exposed parts so that the damage to the skin is minimal.

Please note that olive oil does not function as sun screen. It can only reduce the bad effects of sun exposure on the skin and take care of it from free radicals damage.

Olive oil for skin care in bath:

Add several drops of this super food in your bath water as softner to achieve soft texture.
Regular use can prevent wrinkles. Take care as bath tub gets slippery on contact with this extract.
For further skin care tips and information, read the following posts.

Thursday, June 24

Oily skin condition arises when the sebum (skin oil) is produced in excess of requirement due to many biological factors requiring proper treatment.

Human skin produces oily sebum to protect itself from the weather elements and also as a lubricant.

Advantages of oily skin

A healthy skin produces sufficient sebum to keep itself well nourished, wrinkle-resistant, moisturized and glossy. The great advantage of oily face is that it ages slowly and is well moisturized. The disadvantage of such condition is that it is dull, thick and coarse in looks. However this condition can leads to blackheads, pimples and embarrassing blemishes requiring treatment and care.

Oily skin treatment

For treatment for oily condition, we have to look into the root cause.
We have to find out if this condition is prevalent in the family members like the parents, siblings, aunts and uncles. If the problem is prevalent in family then the individual has to put up with the problem as it is genetic, requiring continuous care. The possible cause may be higher hormonal output.

Treatment can be tried out to reduce the intensity of the condition and associated problems. There can be no total cure or permanent remedy. Only with old age the condition slowly subsides with the reduction in hormone output.

Oily skin treatments and solutions

If the condition is not hereditary, there is a possibility of achieving complete relief with specific preventive efforts.
Weather: Avoid hot humid weather and protect yourself from prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Hormones: If the cause is due to hormonal fluctuations as in menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, skincare measures like cleansing can help.
Hormonal treatments for reducing the androgen output in the body can give relief from oily skin.
However hormonal medications for oily conditions are to be done under the care of medical professionals.
Self medication and consumption of hormones without doctor's advice can result in devastating health problems.Food habits: We have to review our food habits. If our consumption of fats and carbohydrates is fairly above the recommended daily requirement (RDA), then we are becoming a candidate for oily skin.
Taking balanced food rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals itself can give relief in such cases.
Taking plenty of leafy vegetables and fruits helps in oily face condition.
Vitamin B2 deficiency can cause excess sebum production.
Taking food rich in B vitamins like whole cereals and grains, nuts and legumes can provide treatment for the oily problem.
Accumulation of metabolic wastes can cause excess sebum. Drinking sufficient water, keeps our body and specially epidermal cells hydrated and removes toxins and metabolic wastes.Cosmetics: Excessive use of cosmetics can remove the sebum totally and to counter it our sebaceous glands start producing excess of sebum.
In such cases restrictive use of cosmetics will help.

Medical treatments

: Topical isotretinoin and tretinoin, vitamin derivatives may be prescribed by dermatologists for resolving of this problem.
Benzoyl peroxide is also used to control excess sebum production.
For acne and pimples prone persons application of antibiotic creams can provide relief for excess sebum production.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) solutions can also resolve acne and excess sebum production.
Use of salicylic acid or glycolic acid reduces sebum build up.
Smoking and consumption of alcohol have been found to dehydrate the skin cells and can cause excess sebum production.

Oily skin homemade treatments

Washing the skin with mild low pH soap and plenty of fairly warm/hot water removes much of the sebum and the dirt, opening the pores and keeping them free from clogging.
However washing must be restricted to two or three times a day. Excessive washing can induce skin to produce more sebum and reverse our efforts.

Harsh soaps and skin care products must be avoided as they may become more a problem than a solution.
Harsh products will completely strip the skin of sebum, whereby the sebaceous glands are induced to produce more sebum.
They may also make the skin taut and dehydrated, restricting the free flow of sebum.

Light products like extra virgin olive oil can be used as cleanser as it can dissolve sebum into a solution and help in its removal.
Application of lemon juice on the face and allowing it to dry for 15 minutes before rinsing can be tried for this problem.

Treatment with cucumber juice and honey can provide great relief.
Application of aloe vera juice on the face, leaving for 15 -20 minutes and then rinsing with near hot water can also help.
Tomato puree can be applied ,left for 15 minutes and then rinsed clean.Yogurt and papaya juice can be applied in control and treatment of this problem.

Clay mask removes excess sebum.
Sandalwood powder paste with water when used as mask helps in removing excess sebum.

Steaming opens up pores and liquefies the sebum into a solution for removal.
Face must be wiped clean gently to remove the sebum and dirt soon after steaming. Care should be taken to apply moisturizer soon after steaming.
After cleansing, oil free moisturizer can be applied to keep the skin soft and supple.

Periodical exfoliation helps in removing epidermal debris and opening up pores and acne.

The affected individual should exercise, relax and sleep well as tension and stress have been found to increase the sebum secretion, affecting the treatment.

With proper care, the problem of oily skin can be overcome and with correct treatment relief is possible.

Friday, June 11

Olive oil for dry outer skin (stratum corneum)

Xeroderma conditions are mostly caused by external environmental factors and defective nutrition.
Xeroderma commonly occurs on legs, thighs, sides of abdomen, arms, knees, elbows, knuckles and scalp.
Symptoms of xeroderma include scaling and peeling, cracking and itching in the skin.
Olive oil, being an excellent emollient and moisturizer, soothes and softens the dry epidermis.

Mechanism of action of olive oil on the dry skin

As an emollient it has three basic actions of occlusion, humectation and lubrication on the dry epidermis.
Its Occlusive action of providing a fine layer of oil on the surface, makes skin air and water tight.
Occlusion slows down loss of moisture from the epidermis and helps in increasing the moisture content (hydration) of the outermost skin layer, stratum corneum.
Its humectation action is due to its hygroscopic (moisture absorbing) properties.
It penetrates deep into epidermis and increases its capacity of holding water.
Its lubrication action causes the dry skin to glide and slip, preventing 'chafing'.
The above actions treat dry skin, improving its texture and tone.
Now let us look at its bio-chemical part of action on dry skin.
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols, natural antioxidants.
Our skin, being exposed to sun and external elements continuously, is robbed of its natural sebum.
Further the free radicals formed due to exposure to sunlight cause damage to the stratum corneum and reduce the function of the sebaceous glands.
When olive oil is applied it penetrates the skin and the antioxidant polyphenols present in it neutralize the free-radicals; thus the sebaceous glands get reactivated and sebum production becomes normal.

Olive oil treatments for dry skin

Extra virgin olive oil is best applied as such on the dry skin to rehydrate it and also to lock in moisture.
Clean the affected area with warm water and mild neutral or low pH soap to remove dead debris and grime.
Dab it with soft towel and immediately rub the oil gently on to the skin.
The rubbing movement is to get it deeper into the skin and to stimulate the cells for their normal functions.
Do not rub hard as this may further damage the already delicate dry stratum corneum; further the pores may get closed causing more problems.

Alternatively you can make its cleanser with other ingredients.
Blend one egg yolk, one table spoon of olive oil and a few drops of essential oil of your choice.
After applying wait for 15 minutes and wash with warm water.
After dabbing gently, take a few drops of extra virgin oil in your palm and rub gently on to the skin to lock in moisture.

You can also blend it with other well known moisturizers like shea butter in equal proportions for enhancing the hydration of the stratum corneum.
The blend is applied after washing and dabbing the troubling dry skin.

This olive extract can also be blended with one fourth volume of castor oil.
Castor oil is known for its deep penetrating action due to its low molecular mass.
This blend delivers the olive oil deep into the epidermis and helps in its hydration.
The method of application is similar to the first mentioned one.
You can also add a teaspoon of honey to the above blend, as honey, being highly hygroscopic, along with olive oil acts as an excellent humectant hydrating the skin.

Alternatively you can use commercial products of well known brands containing extra virgin olive oil, like shampoos, exfoliators, cleansers, toners, moisturizers, night creams, body butter and bathoil to improve the dry epidermis condition.

Olive oil is also known for helping speedy healing of inflammations and injuries of dry skin.

Oily skin causes: hormones and their imbalances

There can be genetic mark up for greater production of certain hormones.

The hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a metabolite of testosterone hormone appears first at puberty in both boys and girls.

During adolescence, this androgenic hormone apart from stimulating the development of secondary sexual characteristics also causes the growth and enlargement of sebaceous glands.

This leads to sufficient and normal production of sebum leading glossy youthful appearance.

When this hormone is produced in higher levels than normal, or when the sebaceous glands become hyper-sensitive to normal levels of DHT hormone, the real problem starts and causes excess production sebum by the sebaceous glands, resulting in oily skin.

Mensuration cycle also affects and fluctuates DTH levels and causes acne prone greasy epidermis with the rise of progesterone.

Oily skin causes: pregnancy, menopause and birth control pills

Pregnant women are more prone to get over active sebaceous glands and acne.

This is brought about by rapid hormonal changes the body is undergoing during pregnancy.

Oily skin and acne are at the worst in the first trimester.

With the progress of pregnancy the estrogen levels increase and the sebum eases up.

There are a few lucky women for whom pregnancy clears up their persistent teenage greasy face and acne.

Similarly during menopause the female body goes through hormonal changes and causes patches of oily skin and pimples to appear.

Oily skin causes: environment

Constant sweating also causes the sebaceous glands to over produce sebum and causes oily skin. Pollution also can irritate the skin and result in oily skin as an effort of the body to protect itself.

Oily skin causes: certain diseases

Certain diseases like Polycystic ovary syndrome, Pachydermoperiostosis, Forbes-Albright syndrome, HAIR-AN Syndrome, Acromegaly and Fowler-Christmas-Chapple syndrome have been found to be causes of oily skin by making the sebaceous glands overproduce.

Stress and mental tension has been found to induce sebaceous glands to produce more sebum and causes oily skin.